Ampul.



E; w. PIERCE.

AMPUL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27. 1914.

Patented May 11, 1915.

INVENTOR 4 7 I mafia WITNESSES ATTORNEYS UNITE STAEbi EDWARD W. PIERCE, OF CYNWYD, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO W. STARR, 33), OF ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY.

AMPUL.

Specification of Iietters Patent.

Application filed November 27, 1914. Serial No. 874,099.

sizes, the object being to place the liquid.

in the hands of the physician orother user in absolutely uncontaminated condition.

lVhen it is desired to utilize the liquid, theuser fractures the ampul, generally at a point designed for this purpose, and trans fers the contents thereof into a suitable instrument, such as a syringe, by means of which it can be injected or otherwise introducedinto the body of the patient. This method is open to serious ob ections, among 'WhlCl). may be mentioned the danger of the liquid becoming contaminated during its transfer from the ampul to the instrument; the necessity for the employment of an instrument separate from the ampul itself for the purpose of. making the injection and 39 the possibility of introduction into the liquid of bacterla present on the instrument from improper sterilization or other causes.

Among the principal. objects of my invention are to provide an inproved ampul comprising means whereby the injection of thecontents may be accomplished directly from the ampul itself withoutthe necessity of 'using a separate instrument/and of transferring the contents thereto; to provide such an ampul which may be readily sterilized before using, it'- desiredywhich may be as readily transported as the present form of ampul, and which shall serve to maintain the contents in a thoroughly sterile and uncontaminated condition for any period of time prior to its employment:

Further objects of invention are to provide an ampul having theaforementioned characteristics which may be cheaply and easily constructed, which shall be attractive in appearance and which may be readily, quickly and conveniently operated to effect an ejection of its contents without the possibilityofnmnan inations V My invention further includes "all" 'ofthe other various novel features ofconstruction and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified.

FFIGE. i 1

E SE 'j Patented May ii, leis.

In the accompanying drawing, in which- .is show-u one embodiment of my improved ampul, Figure 1 is an elevation of the ampnl in the form in which it may be supplied Q to the user and containing a suitable liquid;.

.lfiig. 2 is a similar view partially in central -vertical section showing the ampul as it-will' appear when being prepared for operation;l l Fig. 3 1s a central vertical section of'thell ampul with certain portions shown injele T when illustrating the various parts Im the y, positions assumed during the process of ejecting the contents of the ampul; Fig. llis a transverse section through the body of the ampul taken on the line 41 in 3; Fig. 5 is an elevation of one of'the details of the device;v and Fig; 6 a fragmcnta'rysec tional YlBW showing a detail of a slightly modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, thatform of j my invention illustrated therein may con- 1 sist of a body portion 1, preferably substantially in the form of a hollow cylinder, one

end of which is constricted as at 2 to form the blunt cone-shaped point orvnipiple 3,. having the relatively small passage 4; leada ing therethrough.

The outside surface of the nipple adjacent the end of the anipul may be formed with any desired or standard I taper, and preferably grounder otherwise Perfectly finished during the rocess of '93 The body of the ampul may preferably be formed of thin glass or other 1 manufacture for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

suitable material,'the wall being turned out, wardly ad acent the large end to pIOV1d8,3. f

substantially laterally projecting peripheral .y

flange G, and for the purpose of pre'ventihg j the liquid contents 8 of the ampul. from a cap or coating 10 of wax, paraifin, ozof escaping through the passage 4: the small: 1 end of the ampul may be. closed by means of cerite or other similar impervious material 'which may preferably extend across a, mouth of the passage and upwar 1y fr: a

short distance therein and also upwardly on the exterior of the ampul for a short distance,

thereby forming a liquid and air tight 010%,

sure for the passage, which however may be readily removed when desired by scrapingv or otherwise. The cap may preferably be applied by dipping the small end of the amp'ul into the substance from which the cap is formed while the latter is in a plastic or liquid condition, removing the ampul ,ther'efrom, with a sufiicient amount of the substance adhering'thereto to form the cap and thereafter allowing the substance to set or harden in position, although, if desired,

I the -capzmay be formed in any other suitable or convenient manner, either directly upon the ampul or separate therefrom and attached thereto.

The small end ofthe ampul having been closed as hereinbefore described, the large end of the'body, after the interior of the ampul has been thoroughly sterilized and the liquid contents introduced preferably in suihcient quantity to fill the same to a point a short distance from the large end,

may be closed by pouring or otherwise in.- troducing-above the surface of the liquid, a I

quantity of-wax, paraffin, ozocerite or other suitable preferably thermo-pla'stic material, preferably in fluid or' semi-fluid condition and which isthereafter allowedv toharden,

forming a tight and impervious closure or plug 15 which serves to confine the liquid contents within the interior of the ampul.

-It isdesirable that a sufiicient amount of wax-like material be introduced within the I ampul to completely fill the large end of the same above the liquid and to flow laterally over the surface of the flange 6 for substantiall the width of 'the flange whereby anot 'er flange 16 is formed of the material, in order to insure a tight seal. If-desired, however, only suflicient material may be employed to completely fill the cylindrical portion of the ampul, in which case, of course, the material will not form a laterally projecting flange on the upper surface of flange 6.

Preferably, while the wax or other material is hardening and beforethe same has assumed a permanent form, a preferably metal pin 17 comprising a cylindrical stem.

18, a laterally projecting clrcular head 19 upon the end of the stem and .an integral collar 20 of a slightly smaller diameter t an the interior of the ampul about midwaythe length of the stem, is embedded thereln in.

such position that the stem is located substantially coaxially with the body of the ampul and the side of the collarop osite to the head 19 approximately flush wit the surface of the wax like material. After the wax-like material has completelyset and become permanently hardened as hereinbefore,

described, the pin will be firmly embedded within the plug and rigidly held thereby as shown in the drawing. The body of the ampul' is now in condition for shipment from the manufacturer to the ultimate user, generally a physician, and for this purpose may be transported without dangerof the liquid contents becoming contaminated or exten ing. axially hown 1 pressure l'otn v ejecting.

deteriorated in any way, the same being hermetically sealed within the body.

For the purpose of injecting the contents of the ampul, a suitable needle is employed,

comprising the needle portion proper 26, havin the usual fine internal opening 27 point of the needle to the rear end thereof and fixedly secured in the substantiall c151 lindrical holder 28. The interior 0 holder is slightly tapered to correspond with. the cone-shaped nipple 3 of the ampul and" is soproportioned and finished during the process of manufacture by grindingl any other desired manner that it form therethrough from the oriIi' a close and liquid tight fit over the nipple and may be frictionally retained in posi-" tion thereon when desired. A handle, 30 comprisinga preferably cylindrical tube of glass, or other suitable material having. an

internal diameter slightly greater than the I exterior diameter of the stem 18 is provided 1 and in practice, the .handle, ampul and v I needle aregenerally furnished together in one packa e so that the several parts of the device will be ready at hand when it is de-, sired to utilize the contents of the ampul.

When it is desired to operate the device and to inject the contents thereof, the body is preferably held with its small end upward removed in any suitable manner leaving the ground surface of. the nipple? exposed, any portion of the cap remaining in the passage '4 being "either removed by a suitable instru:;;'

ment or merely perforated. The holdrQS',

carrying the needle, is then firmlyseatedl upon the nipple 3, being retained inaposi-g. tionby the engagement of the" faces previously referred to..

- le -*iimpul ma now be inverted to the sitionshown sure}: p

in ig. 3 and the handle 30 s ipped'ov'er the."

projectingend of the stud '17 as 'clearly n that figure, the lower end of the' I ile homing the body-[of thef- 15 willfmove prevented by its engagement with the collar; 4

20 from cutting into the-relatively soft mas. terial forming the"plug. That portion of, the plug comprising-the flange 16 will either break t-ofi' as the plug is moved from, its initial position and remain upon the surface pi the flange 6, 01 will turn upwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, and follow the mainportion of the plug into the body "of the ampul.

95 as shown in-Fig. 2 and the wax-like cap 10' l the contents of the ampul has been ejected .he downward movement of the plug may e cent a ed until substantially the whole cl:

after wlich the needle may be withdrawn from the body of the patient and the whole device, including the needle and the handle, discarded.

. In Fig. 6 is shown, a slightly modified form of my invention, wherein a solid core 32 of preferably substantially cylindrical form and of a diameter a little less than the internal dimneter of the body 1 is employed. The pin is firmly aflixed in-the core which may be formed of Wood or other suitable material, in any desired manner, and, after the liquid 8 has been introduced with-in the ampul the core is supported substantially coaxially with the body 1 and in such position that a space is left between its under surface and the surface of the liquid. The

wax-like material 15 is then poured in and the ampul.

should be ran It will thus be seen that the contents of the 'ampul may be readily injected direct from the anipul itself without the necessity of the employment of a separate instrument,

whereby considerable time is saved and the danger of possible contamination avoided, the liquid being introduced into the body of the patient in an absolutely sterile condition. Of course, it will be understood that before making th injection, the needle itself dared thoroughly aseptic and for this purpose any suitable and well known means may be employed. To avoid the necessity of sterilizing the needle before making the injection, practice the needle maybe furnished by the manufacturer of the device in a suitable bottle or other container filled with a suitable antiseptic liquid, such as alcohol, from which the needle may be withdrawn just before its attachment to the body of the ampul, but, if desired, the needle may be furnished in any other manner and, of course, can be sterilized by the operator before making the injection in the ordinary way.

While I have herein described one form of my invention in considerable detail, I do not desire to limit myself precisely to that specific embodiment thereof, as it will be evident that various changes may be made in the details and arrangement of the various parts'of the device without departing from of the United States:

1. In an ampul, the combination of a substantially cylindrical body portion having a constricted end, removable means normally sealing said end, means on said end operative to removably secure a needle holder thereon, and a plug interiorly adjacent the opposite end normally sealing the same, said plug formed of material in a melted state when introduced into the end of the body portion and which hardens when set andadapted to operate under end pressure as a sliding'piston' within said cylindrical body portion. I

2. In an ampul, the combination of a cylindrical body portion composed of glass, having a rearward open end of like conformation in cross section, and a forward constricted end forming a nipple which is ground exteriorly, removable sealing means operative to hermetically seal said constricted end, a sealing plug within and hermetically sealing the opposite end initially, said plug being composed of material in a melted state when. introduced into the end of the body portion and which hardens when set and adapted under end-pressure to operate as a sliding piston to eject the contents of the ampul.

3. In an a-mpul the combination of a substantially cylindrical body portion having an outwardly projecting fiat rim on its rear ward open end, and a constricted forward end constituting a nipple, means exterior to said last mentioned end operative to removably retain a needle holder thereon, removable "means hermetically sealing said constricted end, and a sealing plug within the opposite end composed of material which is in a melted state when introduced into the end of the body portion and which hardens when set and operative primarily as a seal and secondarily, under end-pressure, as a sliding" piston to eject the contents of the ampul.

4. in an ampul, the combination of a cy+ lindrical body portion having a constricted end ground exteriorly and adapted to open atively maintain a needle holder thereon by frictional hold, initially-plastic means operating when set to hermetically seal said end,

a plug within and adjacent the opposite end operating primarily as a sealing device and secondarily as a sliding piston, composed of wax-like material in a melted state when introduced and which hardens when set, and means to apply end pressure to the plug, consisting of a flanged pin embedded within; said plug while in a melted state and having a stem projecting beyond the exterior end of the plug.

5. 'Ixran ampul, a cylindrical body'portion,- composed ofglass,xa11'd having a, con "Str'ic'tejd 'endforming L -nipple, ground exvte'r iorly and adapted tofrictionally maintain-rt needle holder thereon, removablesealing means on said end, a plug Within and'ad- 'ja'cent the opposite end of said body por-' tion, composed of material in a melted state T when introduced to form the plug and :which hardens when set, operating primarily'a s a hermetic seal and secondarily as a Sliding piston underepplied end, pressure, a prodcting pin halving its forward end ema handle to said-pin to cause I In witness whereof, Ih ave hereunto-set my hand this 25th day of November, 1914:.

DWARD. W, Hem; :Witnesses:

'GEORGE K.

QKA D 

